Car-coupling.



W. S. LENNON I GAR COUPLING. APPLICATION riLED JUNE 16, 1909.

Patented Feb.21, 1911.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

INVENIOH Whlqpn 6- $811110" 7 ATTORNEYS W. S. LENNON.

v GAB. COUPLING.

7 APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 1909.

Patented Feb. 21

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mar

WITNESSES moms rs .holder for the car c oupling, which is o" r PATENT OFFICE.

WATSON SIMPSON LENNON, O15

TUCSON, ARIZONA TERRITORY.

CAR-COUPLING.

Spec'ifidation of L r P n Patented Feb. 21,1911.

' Application filed June-16, 1909. Serial No. 502,463.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, WArsoN SIMPSON LENNON, a citizen of the United States, and

a resident of Tucson, in the countyof Pine "and; Territory of Arizona, have lnvented and exact description.

1 This invention relates to car couplings of the Janneytype and has fonits ob'ect to provide novel means for releasing an opening the knuckle of a cai' c oupl1ng of the type indicated, from a point near the side of a car whereon the coupling is placed; and a further object is to'provide a sprin novel construction,;and'novel means for depended claims.

knuckle jaw of said coupling mounted on tachably connectin the'spring holder with the rear end of t e coupling draw bar, whereby said spring holder is ada ted. for convenient and quick detachment om thecar coupling, and its replacement a'hkemanner facilitated, if fitis accidentally broken or rendered insecure from any cause. I The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of arts, as is hereinafter described and define in the ap- Reference is to be had to the accompan ing drawings; forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views. I v 1 Figure 1 is an. endviewof a'car body, a Janney car coupling'thereon and a front view of theimproved means for opening, the

the car and connected with said jaw; Fig. 2 is a broken planview ofa c'ar bottom frame, a'nda part y sectional plan View of a car couplin having the improvements and mounte on the ear frame, the section being .3;-Fig'. 3 is a partly sectional side view, of" I taken substantially on the line 22 in Fig.

the car frame and ooupling thereon shown 5 in Fig. 1, the section being takensubstan- .tiallyl on the 1i'ne33'in said view; Fig. 4 1S a transverse sectional view substantially on the lined- 4 in Fig. 2 ;-Fig. 5 is an enlarged ifragmentaryend View of an end wall for a "car bo dy; and a front side view of a detail ofthe invention mounted thereon; Fig. 6

is a transverse sectional view of the drawbar for' a. Janney car" coupling and of a spring'h'older secured on-the draw-bar, the

- section 'being substantially on the.line'66- of the knuckle.

While the features of improvement may be embodied with a car coupling of the J anney type, applied for coupl ng together passenger cars that traverse a railroad, such couplings having the improvements are particularly well adapted for the coupling together of freight cars and are illustrated as so applied.

In the drawings, 10 represents the front transverse timber or beam, and 10, 10, longitudinal stringers or timbers that are portions of thebottom frame for a frieght car.

The car coupling shown to'illustrate the application of the features ofthe invention, 1 comprises a draw-head l1 and draw-bar 1 1 thatis preferably formed integral with the drawhead. The drawhead is cast into form along with the draw-bar, of a suitable metal, and as appears in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the drawhollow, so'a's to reduce their weight and adapt the drawhead for reception of work- ;ing parts that will be explained.

on the'normally right side and :front corner 0f the drawhead,and two spaced l'ugs'11 {are formed on the opposite side wall and 'front corner of said drawhead, "Preferably on' which' are' of a like form. Theknuckle' that is a complementary detail for the drawfits' loosely between the lugs 11 and a tail Fig. 2.

- The improved means 'for locking the knuckle in closed position and for releasing said knuckle are essentially embodied in the construction of the parts thatwill be described. I

In the forward portion of the draw-bar clinesupward and rearward, said bar, which A horn ll is integrally formed as usual the lugs 11 are formed on'theirf'inner oppo site sides having oflset shoulders a, a' there-' 90 piece 12, having its upper and lower sides' -11, a guide post 14 is positioned, which in-' in Fig. 3; and, Fig. 7 is a perspectiveview 1 head and integral draw-bar are rendered head 11, consists of a transverse'jaw 12 that knuckle, as is-shown by dotted lines in is secured-upon thetop wall and the-lower" slide block 15 is employed for locking the tail piece of the knuckle in place when the knuckle is closed, said slide .block consisting of a metal billet having flatparallel sides, and a concavity 0 formed in the lower side thereof. In the side of theslide block 15 that in serv ice is nearest to the post 14, a channeLd is formed which loosely receives the post, and said channel has such inclination as will permit the slide block to slide upward in a plane parallel with the bottom surface of the draw-bar. The position of the guide post14 with relation to the rear portion of the tail piece 12 and the length of the slide block 15 forward of the post, is such that when the slide block is seated upon the inner bottom surface of the draw-bar 11. the forward portion of said slide block will lap upon the adjacent side of the tail piece when the knuckle is closed, and thus hold the knuckle in such a position, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

It will be understood that if the slide block 15 is pressed upon on its lower side, it will move upward and rearward, which will remove the forward end of tlte block from engagement with the side of the ,tail piece 12 and permit the knuckle to be rotated to open the same.

The means for lifting the slide block 15 and subsequently moving the tail piece and jaw of the knuckle into open position,.eomprises the following details. In the bottom wall of the .drawhead 11 aslotc is formed. which extends diagonally from the side wall of the drawhead on which the horn 11 is formed, across said bottom wall and rearward, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2, said slot being located behind and adjacent to the rear end wall of the tail piece 12 when the knuckle is closed. As shown clearly in Fig. 4-, a rock arm 10 is employed as a detail of the knuckle releasing means, said arm consisting of a flat bar bent edgewise at an obtuse angle, and pivoted at 0 near said angle within theslot r, so that a depending mem ber '16" of the rock arm extends downward and rightward from the slot, as indicated in l igs. 1. and 4. An extension 16" is formed or secured on the opposite cnd of the obtuse angular rock arm 16, and normally occupies a horizontal plane below the lower surface of the tail piece near its rear end. it will be seen at g in Fig. I that the bottom wall of the tail piece at and near its rear end is inclined from the upper edge thereof at the left side of the tailpiece downward and 'to the right, this inclined face being convexed slightly, and it may here be explained that the rounded end y/ which is offset. from the extension ll'fl'is disposed below said inclined surface so that it will. press thereon when the depending member 16 of the rock arm is drawn leftward, the frictional engagement of the end 9 holding said member where it is positioned by the movement of the arm 16. As shown in Figscl and 5, a bracket plate 17 is secured on the end wall of the carbody adjacent to its left side, and

on said bracket plate a. lever is pivoted, said lever consisting of two arms 18, 18, that are joined together at one end of each, and pm oted at h where they merge together, from which point the arms diverge from each other at an acute angle, the lever being re tained in place by a cotter key hf. A spring holder in'the'form of a cylindrical casing z is secured on the bracketplate 17, and extends toward the depending member 16" of i the rock arm .16. In the holder 2' a. spring box 2" is slidably held, one end thereof thatprojects toward the arm 18 having a loop on thereon which loosely receives said arm. In the box i a coiled spring 1' is located which encircles an end portion of a slide rodi which is inserted through the perforated I .loosely secured at itsends thereto, the 'expansion of the spring 2' keeping the connection taut, but not being ofsuiiicient strength to lift the dog. The weight of the connection between the arms 18 and 16 is supported by the impingement of the arm 18 upon a projection n on the b'r'acket plate 17 at its left lower corner.

In service. the closed knuckle of the car coupling may be safely opened by one standing at the side of the car, by pulling on thelever arm 18, which will rock the arm 16 thusremoving it from the path of that tail- I block 11*. The extension 16" when rocked upward sufficiently, impinges upon the in:

clined rear end wall 9 of the tail piece 11 and following the release of the slide block 15, pushes said tail piece to the right andthe knuckle into closed position.

It will be evident from an inspection of Figs. 2, 3 and 4. that when the elbow lever 16 is moved to lift the dog 15, thesaid dog will he moved rearwardly as well as tip-- wardly and out of contact with the tailpiece of the-knuckle. perniittingithe knuckle to open. When now, the lever is moved slightly farther, the extension g of the elbow lever engages the inclined surface 9 of the tail piece, and opens the knuckle. It

is not necessary for the brakemau to open" the knuckle manually as in the usual form of coupllng.

frame, and extends from the cross timber or beam at the end of the frame rearward between two spaced timbers such as 10 the coupling draw bar being rigidly secured atand near its rear end, on the forward end of a looped frame, that supports cushion springs thereon which absorbs shocks to which the coupling is subjected in service.

- As'the attachment of the spring holder for an ordinary J anney car coupling, is rigidly secured upon the rear end of the coupling dra-xwb'ar, it is a task that requires conslderable time and hard labor to remove the spring holder in case the springs break, or the spring holder is worn out or damaged by accident. A feature of the present invention provides novel, simple and practical means for deta'chably securing a spring holder on the rear end of the drawbar for theimproved car coupling, which enables the speedy and convenient removal of the spring holder and springs from the draw bar, and a replacement of the same with the expenditure of but little time and labor, as will be described.

It will be seen in Figs. 1 and 3, that the spring holder consists of an elongated metal frame having parallel upper and lower side walls 20, 20, that are spaced apart by the rear end wall 21, anintermediate cross bar 22. At the forwardends of the walls 20, 20, an inwardly extended lug 0 is formed on each, which lugs are disposed oppositely, and preferably are of an equal length,.and a Width equal with that of the walls they are formed on. On the rear end of the drawbar 11 the body thereof is increased in vertical width, and in the widened portion two spaced slots p, p are formed, which are parallel with each other, and extend from one side. of the 'drawbar across the same to a point near the opposite side thereof, as shown at g in Fig. 6. The space between the slots 79 is equal with that between the upper and lower members 20, 21 of the spring holder, and at the forward side edge of each slot 2 a recess is formed in the lower side thereof as shown at 7) in Fig. 3. The vertical width of each slot 79 is such that they will respectively receive a member 20,

20, of the spring holder, which may be inserted laterally thereinto, the;lugs 0' passing into the recesses p as shown in Fig. 3.

On each of the top and bottom flanges 22 produced by formation of the transverse slots 72, a laterally projected ear r is formed, said ears being respectively disposed adjacent to the open end of a slot and midway between the ears a boss 8 is fhrmed on the side of the draw bar. The ears r and boss 8 are in alinement and oppositely perforated for the insertion of a keeper bolt 23, therethrough, said bolt on its ends having a head, and a thread respectively, the latter receiving a nut 11 which retains the bolt in place and in contact with the side edges of the members 20 on the spring holder. I

It will be understood that the insertion of the spring holder members 20, 20, and lugs 0 laterally and fully into the slots in the d'rawbar, adapts the spring holder as an entirety to occupy the space. between the timbers 10 and receive springs 24, that are to be supported thereby for cushioning the impact of percussion on the drawhead, or the draft strain that the carcoupling is subjected to.

Atany time it is necessary, the improved spring holder that has been described, may be quickly detached by a removal of the keeper bolt 23, and release of the rear end of the spring holder from the timbers 10, below which the latter is now inclined, which will permit said holder to be slidably removed laterally from the slots 1; and after repairs are completed, be replaced quickly and secured by means of the keeper bolt 23.

It: is to be understood that the present invention resides in the provision of the improvedmeans for locking and releasing the tail piece of the coupling knuckle, and the improved means for detachably connecting the spring holder for the coupling with the drawbar thereof.

Other details that are preferably used in the construction of the improved car coupling, are not claimed in this device, and are suhjectto change as may be found expedient in service. 7

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A car coupling comprising a draw head, a draw bar in rear of the draw head, an inclined guide bar supported in the draw bar and inclining rearwardly from its lower to its upper end and spaced at its outer side away from the adjacent wall of-the draw bar, a knuckle pivoted to thedraw head and having a tail piece provided lat its rear side with a downwardly facing inclined surface, a dog for engaging the tail piece for locking the knuckle in closed position, said dog fitting and operating between the inclined guide bar and the adjacent wall of the. draw head and having in its side next the guide bar a slot receiving the said guide bar whereby as the dog is lifted it will move rearwardly and be moved thereby out of engagement with the tail piece of the knuckle and an operating lever having an arm engaging below the dog to lift the same and having an extension arranged to engage beneath the forwardly facing inclined surface of the knuckle whereby'the continued movement of the said lever will first release the dog from engagement with the knuckle and will then positively open the knuckle, substantially as-set fortl w I 2. In a car coupling, the combination with a draw head, and u knuckle pivoted thereto and provided with a tail piece, of a do e11- gaging the tail piece to lock the knuckle in closed position, a bar arranged within the draw head, and incliningbackwardly and upwardly away from the knuckle, the dog being mounted for sliding movement on the bar, whereby when the dog is lifted it will be moved backwardly out of contact with the tail piece, an elbow lever for moving the dog, saidlever having an extension, and

the tail piece having an inclined surface for name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- WATSON SIMPSON LENNON.

Witnesses:

JEREMIAH CONNOR, BnN'roN DICK. 

